Australian passport photo maker and checker
Australian passport photos are printed, not uploaded, and the face must measure 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown. Use this page to measure and frame your photo to that size before you have it printed.
- Free, no watermark
- Photo stays on your device
- No retouching
- Rules checked 11 November 2026
Australian passport photo requirements
| Photo size | 35 to 40 mm wide and 45 to 50 mm high |
|---|---|
| Face size | 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown |
| How many | 2 photos |
| Background | Plain white or light grey that contrasts with your face |
| Good-quality colour print made by dye sublimation, not an inkjet printer | |
| Paper | Heavy-weight glossy paper, at least 200 gsm |
| How recent | Less than 6 months old |
| Editing | No retouching, such as removing moles, wrinkles or scars |
Checked against the official source on 11 November 2026. Source: Australian Passport Office: Passport photos · Guarantors, referees and witnesses. Rules change without notice, so read the official page before you submit.
What the photo must show
- Face centred, looking straight at the camera, with the edges of your face visible and no head tilt.
- Hair must not hide the edges of your face or your eyes.
- From age 3: eyes open and a neutral expression. Under 3: the mouth may be open, but no one else may be visible.
- No glasses, unless they cannot be removed for medical reasons. Needing them to see is not a medical reason.
- Religious head coverings must be plain, without patterns, and show the whole face from chin to the top of the forehead and both edges of the face.
- No wireless earbuds. Hearing aids are allowed.
Endorsing the photo
Australian passport applications are lodged in person with two printed photos; there is no photo upload. For a paper application, your guarantor signs the back of one photo in black pen and writes “This is a true photo of” followed by your full name. If you complete the form online, a referee replaces the guarantor and does not sign a photo. For a renewal, you write your own full name on the back of one photo.
Why home printing does not work
Most home printers are inkjets, and the Passport Office specifically excludes inkjet prints. It also lists “printing or scanning lines or streaks” among its examples of unacceptable photos. Photo kiosks and labs that print on dye-sublimation paper meet the print rule. Download the print sheet from this page and have it printed there at 100% size as a standard 10 × 15 cm photo.
Problems the Passport Office lists as unacceptable
- Smiling, or any expression that is not neutral.
- Distortion from a camera held too close to the face.
- Retouching or skin smoothing, or a background that has been edited.
- Glasses on, a hat, wireless earbuds, or too much make-up.
- Head turned or tilted, looking away, or hair covering the eyes.
- Uneven lighting, red eye, or a blurred, grainy or low-resolution image.
- Framing too close or too far, so the face is outside 32 to 36 mm.
- A patterned head covering, an object or a parent's hand in the picture, or ink marks on the print.
✓ Good: plain background, even light, neutral face
✕ Shadow on the wall and face
✕ Busy background
✕ Glare on glasses
✕ Selfie taken too close
✕ Too dark, orange light
More on this in why ID photos get rejected. The examples use an off-white wall. The background row in the table above gives the exact colour this document asks for.
How to use this tool
- Ask someone to take the photo from about 1.5 m, at eye level, in even daylight in front of a plain wall.
- Add the photo above. The tool finds your face and frames it to the size on this page.
- Check the green lines: one on the top of your head, one on your chin. Drag or zoom to adjust.
- Read the automatic checks, then download. Nothing in the photo is retouched, only cropped and resized.
Questions about the Australian passport photo
What size is an Australian passport photo?
An Australian passport photo is 35 to 40 mm wide and 45 to 50 mm high, with the face measuring 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown.
Can I take my own Australian passport photo?
The Passport Office recommends a professional provider and does not recommend online services or apps. The published rules are about the photo and the print: correct size, a dye-sublimation print on glossy paper of at least 200 gsm, and no retouching. A home inkjet print does not meet them.
Can I upload a digital photo for an Australian passport?
No. Applications are lodged with two printed photos, whether you fill in the form online or on paper.
Can I wear glasses in an Australian passport photo?
Only if they cannot be removed for medical reasons, supported by a medical certificate. Needing glasses to see is not accepted as a reason.
Guides for this photo
- Why passport and ID photos get rejectedThe reasons authorities list themselves, and how to avoid each
- How to take a passport photo at homeDistance, light, background and pose, step by step
- Are edited or AI passport photos allowed?What ten authorities say about retouching, filters and AI
- How to print passport photos on 4 × 6 paperHow many fit, the settings to use, and the right paper
- Can I take my own passport photo?Where a home photo is accepted, and where it is not